As posts are imported to Lu & Ed, Daft pages will be updated with links to the new posts, so no worries about losing your favorite business reference posts!

As of yet, I have not decided whether or not to continue with Happy Handmade. It has been going for over TWO YEARS and is still the top handmade link up for makers to share their work with new consumers. So I'm asking you guys for your input - if it is to continue, I will need help from the community to promote it & share it within their communities. As Lu & Ed continues to grow I find less and less time to be at the computer promoting my own business (hence the merger). In order for Happy Handmade to be successful it relies greatly on people who link up their products to share the collection with their friends, families and other makers in an effort to bring new attention & support to the maker movement.

So in the comments, share your thoughts. If Happy Handmade has helped your business grow through new exposure, sales or community found through the collective, can you dedicate yourself to helping it continue through social sharing & supporting the community by connecting with participants?

This will be the final week of #happyhandmade for a brief hiatus while I merge both Lu & Ed, my handmade biz, and Daft together on my personal blog! I have a ton of posts to import and hosting to figure out, but as soon as it's settled this collective will resume as normal!

#happyhandmade is the originalsocial sharing collective showcasing makers & their shops across various platforms - all brought together in a neat little bundle to help makers get discovered and help connect artisans with fresh, new, handmade lovin' people!

If this is your first time here, you're in for a sweet surprise! This collective generates between 2,500 - 3,500 click-throughs to participant's shops every month! It is one of the top free ways to connect with other makers & drive new traffic to your store with minimal effort. Not only do you get the exposure from this post here, but also from all the people who share your products via Twitter, their blogs, Facebook & other social media platforms!

Join in & be a part of the largest collaborative marketing effort in the maker movement!

Also, each week there are SIX chances to be featured, either as staff pick or most viewed - so be sure to share#happyhandmade with your friends, family, Etsy teams, in forums and Facebook groups you are a part of - the more people seeing this link up, the more people shopping & seeing your goods and the bigger our #happyhandmade community grows!YOU radical makers, crafters & indie business owners are what makes this event so awesome, and I appreciate you all so much for helping me spread the word about this great handmade collective!

Shareat least three {3} items from this collection (not yours) via social media

(Please do not Pin items to Pinterest without express permission from the creator)

Spread the word! the more people who hear about it, the more exposure everyone gets!

Please show your support of handmade and leave a comment listing your favorite three products from the link up that you shared!

What can you link up? Handmade products, art prints, and any designs you personally have created and had printed in small batches on clothing, fabric, notecards, etc. So long as you made it, you can share it!

What you can't link up: blog posts, Facebook pages, giveaways, tutorials, items that are factory produced, supplies & vintage items. This collective is to connect handmade shop owners with one another and promote one another's products, so all links you share should be to an individual product in your shop.

Click "add your link" - this opens a new window. In the first box put the URL to your INDIVIDUAL product listing, not your shop home page. In the second box, put a description of your product. In the third, your email address. Then below that, chose a product image for the thumbnail. Easy peasy!

Welcome to #happyhandmade, the originalsocial sharing collective showcasing makers & their shops across various platforms - all brought together in a neat little bundle to help makers get discovered and help connect artisans with fresh, new, handmade lovin' people!

If this is your first time here, you're in for a sweet surprise! This collective generates between 2,500 - 3,500 click-throughs to participant's shops every month! It is one of the top free ways to connect with other makers & drive new traffic to your store with minimal effort. Not only do you get the exposure from this post here, but also from all the people who share your products via Twitter, their blogs, Facebook & other social media platforms!

Join in & be a part of the largest collaborative marketing effort in the maker movement!

Also, each week there are SIX chances to be featured, either as staff pick or most viewed - so be sure to share#happyhandmade with your friends, family, Etsy teams, in forums and Facebook groups you are a part of - the more people seeing this link up, the more people shopping & seeing your goods and the bigger our #happyhandmade community grows!YOU radical makers, crafters & indie business owners are what makes this event so awesome, and I appreciate you all so much for helping me spread the word about this great handmade collective!

Shareat least three {3} items from this collection (not yours) via social media

(Please do not Pin items to Pinterest without express permission from the creator)

Spread the word! the more people who hear about it, the more exposure everyone gets!

Please show your support of handmade and leave a comment listing your favorite three products from the link up that you shared!

What can you link up? Handmade products, art prints, and any designs you personally have created and had printed in small batches on clothing, fabric, notecards, etc. So long as you made it, you can share it!

What you can't link up: blog posts, Facebook pages, giveaways, tutorials, items that are factory produced, supplies & vintage items. This collective is to connect handmade shop owners with one another and promote one another's products, so all links you share should be to an individual product in your shop.

Click "add your link" - this opens a new window. In the first box put the URL to your INDIVIDUAL product listing, not your shop home page. In the second box, put a description of your product. In the third, your email address. Then below that, chose a product image for the thumbnail. Easy peasy!

Recently, an acquaintance was upset because she posted a photo of a new product on Facebook and asked her followers, "I'm not sure about this... What do you think?" The intent of the post was to start a conversation about her new product, create anticipation for it's release & receive some praise for her work.

What she received some harsh negative feedback about a product she was super excited to release and needless to say, she was quite disheartened.

In order to get people excited about a new product, existing product, or well, anything you post on social media, you have to exude enthusiasm, excitement and confidence. Even if you don't feel confident or you aren't sure about how people will react, you have to present it like you think it's going to be the next big thing - because enthusiasm is catching. Similarly, so is negativity - if you say "I don't really like these colors.... What do you think?" you have just opened yourself for possible negative responses.

My advice: Don't view your fans on Facebook or followers on Instagram and Twitter as strangers or worse, clients. Start thinking of them as a community who have gathered together in their mutual love for what you have to offer. They respect you. If you present something to your community that you don't like, they will pick up on that and have a mutual distaste for it because they trust your taste.

Here is two examples - a positive way to build enthusiasm and excitement in your community, and one that, well, doesn't.

"I adore this this fabric combo - it's perfect for a nursery! Don't you just love it!?"

Or the second more, negative option:

"Ugh, need opinions.... I'm not sure about this fabric combo... What do you think?"

See how negative the second one sounds in comparison to the first? Which do you think would generate the most excitement and anticipation about the product?

It isn't always easy when you are trying to create a community around your products & brand. Here are three things to avoid when posting to social media if you want to create a community that is engaged, enthusiastic about your brand & excited about your products:

... dots

... in the middle of sentences... they just seem... so Eeyore-ish.... very sad... They suck the enthusiasm right out of your content... and make it seem like you aren't entirely... sure, I guess ... about your content...

Negative sentence structure

If the first line of script people read contains negative words, they associate it with whatever it is you are posting about. Asking people for their opinion is a great way to drive interaction & engagement on social media but set up your content thoughtfully to craft an enthusiastic response & get people excited about your work!
When sharing content with your audience, avoid sentences that start with phrases like:

I don't know
I'm not sure
I don't like
I hate
I can't stand

And focus instead on beginning sentences with phrases like these:

I adore
I enjoy
I absolutely freaking love
I'm in love with
I am so excited about

Some examples to really drive this home:

"I don't know if I like this collection of charms. What do you think? "

vs

"I adore how these charms look together! Which is your favorite?"

-

"I can't stand yellow, but it was fun to work on this item. Do you like it?"

vs

"I absolutely freaking love how this turned out, don't you!?"

-

"I hated sewing all these ruffles but just completed this cute outfit! Should I add more to my shop?"

vs

"I'm so in love with this ruffly little outfit - it was a challenging project but I think I may add some to my shop! What colors would you like to see?"

Try out these tips & see if you generate a more enthusiastic & positive response from your fans! Bonus tip - another great way to generate positive feedback is to give your fans ownership over the item. Let them name the new product, pick colors to pair with it or make suggestions for accessories/details. This gets your fans involved in the process & helps build a bond between consumers & your products! What is your favorite way to engage your fans & build excitement about products?

Welcome to #happyhandmade, the originalsocial sharing collective showcasing makers & their shops across various platforms - all brought together in a neat little bundle to help makers get discovered and help connect artisans with fresh, new, handmade lovin' people!

If this is your first time here, you're in for a sweet surprise! This collective generates between 2,500 - 3,500 click-throughs to participant's shops every month! It is one of the top free ways to connect with other makers & drive new traffic to your store with minimal effort. Not only do you get the exposure from this post here, but also from all the people who share your products via Twitter, their blogs, Facebook & other social media platforms!

Join in & be a part of the largest collaborative marketing effort in the maker movement!

Also, each week there are SIX chances to be featured, either as staff pick or most viewed - so be sure to share#happyhandmade with your friends, family, Etsy teams, in forums and Facebook groups you are a part of - the more people seeing this link up, the more people shopping & seeing your goods and the bigger our #happyhandmade community grows!YOU radical makers, crafters & indie business owners are what makes this event so awesome, and I appreciate you all so much for helping me spread the word about this great handmade collective!

Shareat least three {3} items from this collection (not yours) via social media

(Please do not Pin items to Pinterest without express permission from the creator)

Spread the word! the more people who hear about it, the more exposure everyone gets!

Please show your support of handmade and leave a comment listing your favorite three products from the link up that you shared!

What can you link up? Handmade products, art prints, and any designs you personally have created and had printed in small batches on clothing, fabric, notecards, etc. So long as you made it, you can share it!

What you can't link up: blog posts, Facebook pages, giveaways, tutorials, items that are factory produced, supplies & vintage items. This collective is to connect handmade shop owners with one another and promote one another's products, so all links you share should be to an individual product in your shop.

Click "add your link" - this opens a new window. In the first box put the URL to your INDIVIDUAL product listing, not your shop home page. In the second box, put a description of your product. In the third, your email address. Then below that, chose a product image for the thumbnail. Easy peasy!

It seems like a given, I know. But before you post that WIP photo or latest product pic to social media, always take a moment to read, reread and re-reread your caption a few times to check for spelling & grammar errors and to really think on the feeling you are trying to convey from this post. Creating thoughtful content is the first step in adding value to your social media outlets & inviting a true feeling of community. Nothing spoils a great post like a typo or missing word!

Plus, autocorrect is a turd. One time I tried to post a picture a client sent me of their kiddo, in a cape, holding his superhero monster I made him, saying "What a cute little hero!" and my phone corrected "hero" to "jerk". Imagine if I hadn't reread my post for errors before publishing it, calling that kiddo a jerk. Mortifying, right?

Also, two days ago I was typing "eating birthday cupcakes!" and my phone autocorrected it to "eating butt day cake" right as I was about to hit send. I don't even know. I'm glad I caught it before I sent that text, though!

So my advice for today, after seeing some pretty silly autocorrected posts on IG & FB last week: take time to review before you post to social media!What hilarious (or mortifying!) typo or autocorrect stories do you have? Share them in the comments?

Welcome to #happyhandmade, the originalsocial sharing collective showcasing makers & their shops across various platforms - all brought together in a neat little bundle to help makers get discovered and help connect artisans with fresh, new, handmade lovin' people!

If this is your first time here, you're in for a sweet surprise! This collective generates between 2,500 - 3,500 click-throughs to participant's shops every month! It is one of the top free ways to connect with other makers & drive new traffic to your store with minimal effort. Not only do you get the exposure from this post here, but also from all the people who share your products via Twitter, their blogs, Facebook & other social media platforms!

Join in & be a part of the largest collaborative marketing effort in the maker movement!

Also, each week there are SIX chances to be featured, either as staff pick or most viewed - so be sure to share#happyhandmade with your friends, family, Etsy teams, in forums and Facebook groups you are a part of - the more people seeing this link up, the more people shopping & seeing your goods and the bigger our #happyhandmade community grows!YOU radical makers, crafters & indie business owners are what makes this event so awesome, and I appreciate you all so much for helping me spread the word about this great handmade collective!

Shareat least three {3} items from this collection (not yours) via social media

(Please do not Pin items to Pinterest without express permission from the creator)

Spread the word! the more people who hear about it, the more exposure everyone gets!

Please show your support of handmade and leave a comment listing your favorite three products from the link up that you shared!

What can you link up? Handmade products, art prints, and any designs you personally have created and had printed in small batches on clothing, fabric, notecards, etc. So long as you made it, you can share it!

What you can't link up: blog posts, Facebook pages, giveaways, tutorials, items that are factory produced, supplies & vintage items. This collective is to connect handmade shop owners with one another and promote one another's products, so all links you share should be to an individual product in your shop.

Click "add your link" - this opens a new window. In the first box put the URL to your INDIVIDUAL product listing, not your shop home page. In the second box, put a description of your product. In the third, your email address. Then below that, chose a product image for the thumbnail. Easy peasy!

Welcome to #happyhandmade, the originalsocial sharing collective showcasing makers & their shops across various platforms - all brought together in a neat little bundle to help makers get discovered and help connect artisans with fresh, new, handmade lovin' people!

If this is your first time here, you're in for a sweet surprise! This collective generates between 2,500 - 3,500 click-throughs to participant's shops every month! It is one of the top free ways to connect with other makers & drive new traffic to your store with minimal effort. Not only do you get the exposure from this post here, but also from all the people who share your products via Twitter, their blogs, Facebook & other social media platforms!

Join in & be a part of the largest collaborative marketing effort in the maker movement!

Also, each week there are SIX chances to be featured, either as staff pick or most viewed - so be sure to share#happyhandmade with your friends, family, Etsy teams, in forums and Facebook groups you are a part of - the more people seeing this link up, the more people shopping & seeing your goods and the bigger our #happyhandmade community grows!YOU radical makers, crafters & indie business owners are what makes this event so awesome, and I appreciate you all so much for helping me spread the word about this great handmade collective!

Shareat least three {3} items from this collection (not yours) via social media

(Please do not Pin items to Pinterest without express permission from the creator)

Spread the word! the more people who hear about it, the more exposure everyone gets!

Please show your support of handmade and leave a comment listing your favorite three products from the link up that you shared!

What can you link up? Handmade products, art prints, and any designs you personally have created and had printed in small batches on clothing, fabric, notecards, etc. So long as you made it, you can share it!

What you can't link up: blog posts, Facebook pages, giveaways, tutorials, items that are factory produced, supplies & vintage items. This collective is to connect handmade shop owners with one another and promote one another's products, so all links you share should be to an individual product in your shop.

Click "add your link" - this opens a new window. In the first box put the URL to your INDIVIDUAL product listing, not your shop home page. In the second box, put a description of your product. In the third, your email address. Then below that, chose a product image for the thumbnail. Easy peasy!

I have attended close to 50 shows as a vendor and sell out at almost every show I vend at. With spring time shows just around the bend, I wanted to share some of lessons I've learned as a toy maker in the craft show circuit with YOU to make this season the best it can be for you!

Create an inviting display.

A mini display of my items at a pop up shop

As a toy maker it is so important to have a display that invites both parents & children to touch, hug & play with my monsters. People are more likely to purchase an item they interact with so by having a display with child height shelves & openly inviting people to play with & enjoy your products you are increasing the odds of purchases.

When I catch a kiddo eyeing my display I get down to their level & ask them which monster is their favorite, or what their favorite color is. This leads to them pointing to or picking up a monster they like. That magic moment when a child finds "their" monster makes my heart burst with joy! Parents love it too, and get involved in the fun of picking out monsters & comparing hair styles and numbers of eyes or teeth. Make sure you are approaching & engaging not just the adults but the children at the events. Don't be afraid to get on their level & talk to them - you're a toy maker! This is what you DO - unite kids with toys they will love!Bring baby wipes

If there is going to be food at the event, set up a display with a sign encouraging people to take a wet wipe (diaper wipes are perfect for this!) for their hands & have a waste basket for easy disposal. If you see kids with food, feel free to offer the parents a wipe - it's not rude, believe me, they will appreciate it! - before the kids touch your displays/products. This protects your products, and opens up a line of communication with browsers. I've only ever had browsers express gratitude when I've offered them a napkin at shows, even though I'm primarily doing it to protect my products.

Offer stickers or an activity
Kids love stickers! I always keep some in my apron pocket at events and as kiddos pass by I ask them if they would like a sticker - this results with families pausing at my booth, kids getting excited about my products & often, purchases! Starting conversations with kids & parents is key in selling toys at craft shows.You can download these free sticker templates designed by Kenzie of Bewhiskered Blankets here or purchase the full color set with 25 designs for just $1.50 here! They are sized to print on standard address label paper, so you can print them from home!

I also sometimes have a coloring table set up with pages of Mon-stors to color and buckets of crayons. ALWAYS a huge hit with small children & again, it gives families a reason to pause at your booth. I can only do this at shows with 10x10 booths though, so it's not a show time staple but always results in happy families & lots of interaction and purchases at my booth! Try to think of small, free activities you could offer to young craft show patrons - maybe if you sell children's clothes, a dress up trunk & mirror? Think outside the box & get creative with freebies & activities you can do to get people excited about your booth at events!Do you make & sell toys or items for kids at craft shows? Let's continue the conversation in the comments! What craft show advice would you offer other toy makers before their first show of the season?

Today's guest post is brought to you by Shawna of Shawna Collage. Shawna is a graphic designer and
collage artist, originally from a small, snowy town in upstate New York.
She holds a BFA in Graphic Design and a BA in English Literature from
SUNY
Plattsburgh. She has been freelancing for a little over four years now
with a focus on branding, illustration, print design. In addition
to designing, she enjoys everything to do with cats, desserts of all
kinds, fashion, and organizing.

For many people, the idea of having their own solo exhibition can be both intimidating and overwhelming. But, with a little planning, anyone can have a successful and profitable show. I’ve put together a flow chart to help guide you through the process of applying, creating, and promoting an exhibition. While this process will always differ from artist to artist, and venue to venue, this chart will help give you an idea of what to expect and prepare for.

Still
debating on whether or not a solo show is right for you? The benefits
can be wonderful: no sharing the spotlight with other artists, more
potential profit, customizing the experience for your viewers, and the
ability to show many works at once. On the downside there is also a
greater amount of risk by being the only one in the room, you won’t have
the pull and appeal of a group of artists to bring people in. You’ll
also have a higher cost from creating and framing a large amount of
work.

Deciding to take on your own solo show is a personal
decision that every artist needs to decide if they are ready for. I hope
this chart has helped clarify the process and informed you about what
goes into an exhibition. Good luck in your future solo endeavors and
stay creative!